In the face of multiple challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine held its first ever digital “Hire a Boilermaker Career Fair,” providing a safe means of connecting students with future career opportunities. Some 200 students registered to attend and meet-up virtually with 80 employers, ranging from private practices to corporations.
The students who registered were able to upload their resume electronically to a platform called CareerEco. This platform comes with a myriad of benefits, including the ability to use it over the phone or computer similar to WebEx and Zoom. Students were able to talk to employers from anywhere, including areas within Lynn Hall. Additionally, the platform offered the benefits of both an exhibit hall where students could see employers give summaries about their companies, and a private channel that students could use to talk to an employer individually.
Due to limited space in Lynn Hall, typically only about 40 employers have been allowed to attend the college’s traditional in-person career fair previously. Thanks to the event being presented digitally this year, about 40 additional employers were able to participate. As a result, the digital career fair provided an excellent opportunity both for upperclassmen searching for jobs as well as pre-clinical students seeking to practice for future job interviews.
